Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

On September 28th, Sri Lanka’s five major friendship organizations with China—Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association, Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation Association, Sri Lanka-China Association, Sri Lanka-China Journalist Forum, and Sri Lanka-China Buddhist Friendship Association jointly held a celebration Reception for the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawadna, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong and heads of various friendly organizations attended and delivered speeches. President Lin Songtian was invited to deliver a video speech.

R.G. Senanayake, the descendant of the Sri Lankan side who signed the "Rice Rubber Agreement", and the abbot of Wuweishan Temple (the place where Master Faxian seeks Dharma) Lat More than 200 friendly people from all walks of life attended the reception, including Elder Nashili, the heads of the Chinese Enterprise Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka and the Overseas Chinese Federation, representatives of teachers and students from Devi Girls School and President Girls High School.

Lin Songtian said in his speech that this year is an important year worthy of commemoration between China and Sri Lanka. Seventy years ago, China and Sri Lanka, two new countries, overcame difficulties and interference, and signed the "Rice Rubber Agreement", which opened the door to friendly exchanges between the two countries. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 65 years ago, the governments and peoples of China and Sri Lanka have always followed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, equal mutual trust, sincerity, mutual respect and mutual assistance, mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and firmly safeguarding the two principles. countries' respective and common interests.

Lin Songtian said that the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries cares about old friends and good friends who have made outstanding contributions to the cause of China-Sri Lanka friendship for a long time. We sympathize with the temporary difficulties faced by Sri Lankan friends, and we are fully confident that Sri Lanka will make use of its advantages in location, natural resources and human resources to achieve development and rejuvenation. Sri Lankan friends have provided assistance within their ability to tide over the difficulties, and supported Sri Lanka to achieve independent and sustainable development and get rid of poverty completely.

Lin Songtian said that the association is willing to work with friends from all walks of life in Sri Lanka to uphold the spirit of the rice rubber agreement and actively promote the cooperation between local governments, friendly organizations, friendly people, and think tanks of the two countries. We will promote friendly exchanges in non-governmental fields such as media, youth, etc., promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, culture, education and capacity building, and contribute non-governmental wisdom and strength to a new level of strategic cooperative partnership of sincere mutual assistance and friendship between the two countries for generations.

The guests at the meeting said that the friendship between the people of China and Sri Lanka is precious, and they have left many touching stories in the fields of jointly fighting the epidemic, revitalizing the economy, and helping people's livelihood. The Sri Lankan side highly praised the great achievements of the People's Republic of China since its founding 73 years ago, especially in the past ten years, and wished the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

At the reception, Prime Minister Gunawardena and Ambassador Qi Zhenhong presented awards to the winning students of the China-Sri Lanka Friendship Painting Competition, and the Presidential Girls High School Art Troupe performed a traditional dance. Several newspapers, television, radio and social media in the two countries made live reports and webcasts of the reception.